Week in Review

How He Keeps Going and Going

By GLEN JUSTICE

Published: February 29, 2004

DENNIS KUCINICH has been the target of many jokes as he marches winless through the Democratic primaries. So how does the Ohio representative carry on? One reason is that so far he can afford to, thanks in part to taxpayer money.

In February, Mr. Kucinich drew more public financing than any other candidate, according to the Federal Election Commissio n. He received $2.1 million in public money, even though he raised only $5.5 million from donors through January, far less than Senator John Kerry's $24 million or Senator John Edwards's $16 million.

Public financing matches individual contributions up to $250, and the campaign's high number of small, matchable donations lifted its take, said Phillip Mohorich, the Kucinich campaign finance director.

Among the remaining Democrats, only Mr. Kucinich and Mr. Edwards are receiving public money. Mr. Kerry declined matching funds, and Al Sharpton's request has not yet been approved by the F.E.C. Over time, Mr. Kucinich has received less than most candidates, about $2.9 million in matching funds so far, Mr. Mohorich said. Next month, Mr. Kucinich is expected to receive only about $228,000 in public financing. Thereafter, it is unclear whether he qualifies. "We are all bracing for the fact that the rest of the campaign may be solely contribution-based,'' Mr. Mohorich said.

Is public financing meant for such long-shot candidates? "The system gives people a shot at it," said Trevor Potter, a former F.E.C. chairman and a Republican. But "it has safeguards so that people like Kucinich don't game it."